Attacks on Iran's security institutions … Causes and consequences

Armed attacks on Iranian security institutions have become a recurrent thing. The attacks keep happening because of failure to address their root causes.

The government does not seem to want to deal with these attacks in a correct manner. This is why a new type of militant groups that are able to cope up with tight security measures has appeared. But this is becoming a challenging thing for the Iranian government.

The May 2018 US exit from the nuclear deal with Iran and the application of economic sanctions on Iran has had their toll on the ability of the Iranian government to deal with this type of challenges.

Iran's policies towards neighboring states, the marginalization of minorities within the Islamic Republic and the targeting of Iranian opposition abroad have had dangerous ramifications. The intensification of attacks against security institutions, especially the Revolutionary Guards Corpse and Iranian police, has been one of these ramifications.

First, return of sanctions

The exit of the US from the nuclear deal with Iran was the straw that broke the camel's back. This exit caused political, economic and social crises to intensify in Iran.

Major companies got out of the Iranian market, especially after the US gave these companies 90 days to complete ordinary projects and 180 days to complete projects in the oil sector.

The Iranian currency has lost value to the US dollar and oil exports fell down with the application of the second package of sanctions due in November 2018. These developments caused the economy to deteriorate even more.

Worse still, a steady decline is happening in Iranian oil exports, even as the Iranian government keeps reducing prices and uses its own tankers in carrying oil shipments to countries like China and India without any extra fees. The two countries, however, are under increasing pressure from the US government to suspend imports from Iran.

Second, marginalization of minorities

Minorities suffer oppression and marginalization inside Iran. Iranian authorities give priority to Farsi citizens. There are Turkmen, Kurds, Arabia, Ahwazis, Azerbaijanis, and Balush in Iran. Farsis make up only between 30% and 40% of the Iranian population.

Iranian authorities prevent minorities from using their own languages at state institutions. Activists advocating the rights of the minorities are always given a hard time. Some of them are put in jail and others are deprived of their civil rights.   

Third, consequences

Deteriorating economic conditions and the marginalization of minorities have led to numerous forms of violence and extremism. They also raised the number of attacks against security institutions. This can be explained as follows:

1 – Attacks on security institutions

There is a rise in the number of attacks on security institutions. The last such attacks took place against a police station in Chabahar City in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, southeastern Iran. Two policemen were killed in the attack and 40 others injured.

An attack on a Revolutionary Guards Corpse parade in Ahwaz on September 22 caused the kidnap of 14 Basij militiamen. Nevertheless, Iranian authorities continue to deal with these issues in the same old manner. They always point accusing fingers at outside agencies or regional countries and hold them responsible for the attacks. In doing this, the Islamic Republic continues to turn a blind eye to the real reasons behind the attacks.

These attacks pose a major challenge to the Iranian authorities which used to boast that Iran is one of the most stable countries in the region.

2 – Louder pitch of violence

Iran's oppressive policies towards the minorities and its failure to address economic problems, such as unemployment have opened the door wide for violence. Terrorist groups are also so emboldened that they find no problem in claiming responsibility for attacks against security institutions.

A large number of militant organizations appeared to defend the rights of minorities or those who live in specific areas. They do this against the background of the marginalization minorities are suffering.

Iran seems to be in for instability and security problems as a result of deteriorating conditions and the failure of the government to address the root causes of the problems.